The Hidden Side of Giving in Africa

The Hidden Side of Giving in Africa

The Hidden Side of Giving in Africa webinar explores the mechanics of philanthropy on the continent. Despite significant advocacy and knowledge-building efforts, the prevailing narrative of philanthropy as top-down, transactional, professionalized, and monetary-based persists, marginalizing African philanthropic practices.

Most Africans do not identify with or understand the term “philanthropy” and do not use it to describe their giving behaviours. They often associate it with Western aid to Africa or imagine wealthy industrialists allocating large amounts to corporate social responsibility. But what if this perception is misguided?

AIA-N hosted a webinar to examine how Northern or Western notions of philanthropy intersect with homegrown philanthropy.

Prof. Bhekinkosi Moyo, Jacqueline Asiimwe and Irfan Keshavjee unpacked philanthropy in Africa in a conversation that left the audience not only enlightened but also appreciative of the ties that bind us as Africans.

Defining Philanthropy

Civsource Africa set out to document African giving and generosity by asking Ugandans in Kampala whether they considered themselves philanthropists. 

The respondents struggled with the term “philanthropy,” associating it with a Western, male, and white figure. CivSource Africa had to find alternative ways to describe giving, as generosity is an everyday experience for Africans. They chose relatable terms like “generosity” and “giving”.

Philanthropy can be defined in various ways, but its relevance to our communities depends on how we define it. Help in Africa is offered in many forms.

To understand the mechanics of giving in Africa, the African Philanthropy Network developed the following paradigms:

  • One to One: A single donor provides support directly to a single beneficiary. This approach often involves personalized, direct assistance and allows for a deep, meaningful impact on the individual.
  • One to Many: A single donor, which can be an individual, foundation, or corporation, provides funding or resources to multiple beneficiaries. This approach allows a single entity to have a broad impact by supporting various causes, projects, or organizations simultaneously.
  • Many to Many: Multiple donors contribute to multiple causes, organizations, or individuals, often facilitated by platforms or networks that connect donors with a wide range of philanthropic opportunities. This model emphasizes diversity in giving and broad engagement, allowing donors to support various causes and enabling multiple beneficiaries to receive aid from a larger pool of donors.
  • Many to One: Multiple donors contribute to a single cause, organization, or individual in need. This approach leverages the collective power of a larger group of donors to have a more significant impact than individual contributions might achieve on their own.

The Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment (CAPSI) identifies 3 types of philanthropy in Africa:

  • African Philanthropy – Charitable practices that originate from within Africa and are deeply rooted in the continent’s cultural, social, and communal traditions. It includes both traditional and modern forms of giving by Africans for Africans.
  • Philanthropy in Africa – Charitable activities and initiatives that operate on the continent, regardless of their origin. This includes contributions from international donors, organizations, and philanthropists as well as local African efforts.
  • Philanthropy with African Features: A distinctive approach to philanthropy that is deeply rooted in African cultural values, traditions, and social norms. It includes both the historical and contemporary ways in which Africans engage in charitable giving within their communities. This form of philanthropy is characterized by its communal nature, inclusiveness, and the integration of modern philanthropic practices with traditional African values.

Nuances of Giving in Africa

Generosity is fundamentally about agency—the ability to choose to give, whether individually or in concert with others. In Africa, people are typically aware of each homestead’s livestock, land, and other property, which creates an expectation to give. In many African cultures, refusing to help others can have social consequences due to communal values like Ubuntu, which stress mutual support.  

Secondly, reciprocity in the African context is often viewed as ‘giving forward,’ serving as an investment for the future.

Thirdly, a giver has to be seen to be in community with others. For example, simply signing a cheque without being present is considered irresponsible. This sense of community shapes African philanthropy and guides how Africans coexist with nature, ancestors, and other aspects of our communal life.

In Africa, everyone is a philanthropist, and resources are not a prerequisite for giving. People mobilize resources in response to problems as they arise. This contrasts with the West, where the predominant approach is for those with resources to seek out problems to solve.

The poor philanthropist, a term coined by Susan Wilkinson-Maposa describes how, in the context of poverty, charity impulses and behaviours are expressed and organised. Philanthropy among the poor in Africa is deeply embedded, morally grounded and operates as a vital element for both survival and progress. It follows proven, unwritten, acculturated rules with associated sanctions for non-compliance.

Community philanthropy is a bedrock of development in Africa.

Western philanthropy and African giving intersect at 2 levels:

  • Institutional level: Foundations in both Africa and the West have similar systems and processes, creating an interface at the structural level.
  • Global level: Due to globalization, we all operate within a global framework, leading to similar forms of philanthropy. There is no purely African or exclusively Western philanthropy; instead, each contains both local and international features.

Institutionalised vs Informal Giving in Africa

Institutionalized and informal giving intersect at both individual and community levels. The same person who gives informally often also contributes to institutions.

However, through a specific lens, African giving is often labelled as informal, while philanthropy associated with physical infrastructure is termed institutional. This classification is misleading and undermines the diverse forms of giving by labelling them as informal. Institutionalized giving is linked to established practices yet formality does not always require registration.

Labels do not determine the forms, roles, or impact of giving in Africa; rather, they reflect the politics of philanthropy, as all philanthropy is inherently institutional.

At the impact level, the formalities of giving hold little significance; what truly matters is whether the issue is resolved and the outcome of philanthropy on people’s lives. Every person in Africa is where they are today because of someone’s act of giving. Every African has benefited from philanthropy within their community.

Gendered Giving in Africa

Cultural and religious institutions in Africa are held together by female volunteers, whose contributions are frequently overlooked. Additionally, they often serve as the primary providers of unpaid caregiving and perform invisible emotional labour.

Global studies indicate that favours performed by women are often undervalued. This disparity primarily stems from the fact that when men offer help, their actions stand out more. While women are more likely to be asked for help, they are less likely to receive credit or tangible recognition.

For instance, respondents in the CivSource Africa study noted that women did not give as much as men. Although women in Africa may have less access to money, they contribute both financially and through non-monetary means. But the nonmonetary forms of giving by women are not counted, seen or heard.

There is a need to recognize, contemplate, and discuss the gendered nuances of giving. Women in Africa are not merely recipients; they are also givers. Unfortunately, due to social, cultural, and political factors, it requires greater effort to highlight women’s giving. Additionally, in male-dominated societies, women may support male giving efforts, thereby propping up the man as a giver in the community.

Philanthropy in Africa is often associated with large financial contributions. If Africans continue to measure their generosity against this standard, they might overlook their philanthropic potential. African giving involves time, treasure, and talent, which reflect a broader and more inclusive understanding of philanthropy.

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